The Netherland international opened the scoring against
the Eagles, whose manager, Ian Holloway, was serving a touchline ban, before
the England striker struck a late free kick
Manchester United recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over
10-man Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon as David Moyes ended his wait for a
career win at Old Trafford.
Robin van Persie's first-half penalty, which saw Kagisho
Dikgacoi sent off, set the Red Devils on their way before Wayne Rooney,
sporting a bandage on his head, guaranteed the three points with a late free
kick.
Moyes made four changes to the side that were beaten by
Liverpool prior to the international break, with Rooney returning to the
starting XI while new signing Marouane Fellaini was named on the bench.
Palace, whose manager Ian Holloway was serving the first
of a two-match touchline ban, made just one change to the team that beat Sunderland
3-1 in their last Premier League outing, with deadline-day signing Adrian
Mariappa replacing Joel Ward.
Goals from Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney secured all
three points for Manchester United and allowed David Moyes to celebrate his
first win at Old Trafford as a manager.
Van Persie broke the deadlock with a penalty on the
stroke of half-time after Kagisho Digkacoi felled Ashley Young. With the
Crystal Palace midfielder sent off, the hosts then took their foot off the gas
and only secured the points late on as Rooney marked an impressive display with
a brilliant free kick from all of 25-yards.The hosts made the better start to
proceedings and had the first chance to take the lead when Michael Carrick
stung the palms of Julian Speroni with a long-range drive.
However, despite the clear gulf in quality, United were
unable to exert any real dominance, with Holloway's men competing well in the
middle of the park.
Predictably it was Van Persie who was on the end of the first
clear opportunity of the game, but the Dutchman shot wide at the near post
after good work from Patrice Evra.
The Netherlands international came close to atoning for
that miss seven minutes before the break, the former Arsenal man crashing a
vicious volley against the crossbar after he had shown superb control to
collect a wonderful long ball from Rooney.
Yet it was Palace who could have headed into the break
with the lead, Dwight Gayle shooting wide of the far post after displaying a
great burst of pace to get past Rio Ferdinand down the left-hand side.
But the Eagles suffered a devastating blow right before
half-time, though, as Dikgacoi gave away a penalty for bringing down Ashley
Young just inside the area.
The South African was dismissed by referee Jon Moss in
the immediate aftermath, before Van Persie tucked the resulting spot-kick into
the bottom corner to give Moyes' side the lead.
United continued in the ascendancy early in the second
half, Speroni producing a fine reaction save to deny Young after he had been
put through by Anderson.
Young was at the heart of every United attack and he went
close again 10 minutes into the second period, curling a shot wide from the
edge of the area.
Palace offered nothing as an attacking force in the
second period, and United were unfortunate not to add a second, Van Persie
flashing a curling effort inches over the bar, before Speroni displayed yet
more heroics to prevent Rooney from finding the net.
The south London club's fading resistance was broken for
a second time 10 minutes before the final whistle, Rooney marking his return
with a superb free kick that found the bottom corner to end any slim hopes
Palace had of gaining a point.
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